echo

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈe-(ˌ)kō 

plural echoes also echos

1

a

: the repetition of a sound caused by reflection of sound waves

b

: the sound due to such reflection

2

a

: a repetition or imitation of another : reflection

b

: repercussion, result

c

: trace, vestige

d

: response

3

: one who closely imitates or repeats another's words, ideas, or acts

4

: a soft repetition of a musical phrase

5

a

: the repetition of a received radio signal due especially to reflection of part of the wave from an ionized layer of the atmosphere

b(1)

: the reflection of transmitted radar signals by an object

(2)

: the visual indication of this reflection on a radarscope

echoey

ˈe-ˌkō-ē 

adjective

echo

2 of 4

verb

echoed; echoing ˈe-(ˌ)kō-iŋ 

ˈe-kə-wiŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to resound with echoes

2

: to produce an echo

transitive verb

1

a

: repeat, imitate

children echoing their teacher's words

b

: to restate in support or agreement

his successor echoed his opinion

c

: to be reminiscent of : evoke

music that echoes an earlier time

2

: to send back (a sound) by the reflection of sound waves

Echo

3 of 4

noun (2)

ˈe-(ˌ)kō 

: a nymph in Greek mythology who pines away for love of Narcissus until nothing is left of her but her voice

Echo

4 of 4

communications code word

—used as a code word for the letter e

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• follower
• imitator
• rubber stamp

Verb

• sound
• resonate
• reverberate
• ring
• resound

Examples of echo in a Sentence

Noun (1)

We shouted into the canyon and listened to the echo of our voices.

the echo of footsteps in the hall

His work contains echoes of older and greater poets.

The book's title is an echo of a line from an old folk song.

The crime is a chilling echo of the murders that shocked the city two years ago.

Verb

The music echoed through the church.

Laughter echoed across the lake.

Their voices echoed in the hall.

His warnings are echoed by many other experts in the field.

“It's in Rome.” “In Rome?” she echoed.

Others have echoed her criticisms.

The book's title echoes a line from an old folk song.

The crime echoes last year's shocking murders.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Game 1 of the World Series, a stunning 11-4 trouncing of the Dodgers, had echoes of the Skubal game. —Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025

Rye and apple brandy are fast friends—the apple brandy adding an autumnal echo to rye’s grainy persistence. —Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025

Verb

Another bottleneck is a lack of talent in the form of the blue-collar trades, specifically electricians, Porat noted, echoing other Fortune 500 leaders such as Ford CEO Jim Farley. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025

Other parents echo her frustration. —Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025

Noun

The film in part tracks the 2003 efforts by Texas Republicans to redistrict their state to their partisan benefit, prompting Democrats to flee to avoid a vote — in other words, a perfect echo of today’s headlines. —Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025

That word, which seems so vague, so casual, is the crux of the poem — its strongest, most insistent echo, sounding through the beginning, middle and end, anchoring the meaning. —A.o. Scott, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English ecco, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French echo, from Latin, from Greek ēchō; akin to Latin vagire to wail, Greek ēchē sound

Noun (2)

Greek Ēchō

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1595, in the meaning defined above

Communications Code Word

1952, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing echo

• echo chamber
• echo sounder

Rhymes for echo

• deco
• gecko
• derecho

Kids Definition

echo

1 of 2 noun

ˈek-ō 

plural echoes

1

: the repeating of a sound caused by reflection of sound waves

2

a

: a repetition or imitation of another

b

: repercussion sense 2, result

environmental echoes of oil spills

3

: one who closely imitates or repeats another

echoic

i-ˈkō-ik

e-

adjective

echo

2 of 2 verb

echoed; echoing

1

: to be filled with echoes

the stadium echoed with cheers

2

: to produce an echo : send back or repeat a sound

shouts echoing off the wall

3

a

: repeat entry 1 sense 1c, imitate

echoing the teacher's words

b

: to state again in support or agreement

echoed his opinion

Medical Definition

echo

1 of 2 noun

ˈek-(ˌ)ō 

plural echoes also echos

1

: the repetition of a sound that is caused by reflection of sound waves

2

: the sound that is due to reflection of sound waves

echo verb

echoed; echoing ˈek-(ˌ)ō-iŋ, ˈek-ə-wiŋ 

echo

2 of 2 abbreviation

echocardiogram; echocardiography